Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry's broadest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, today launched Digi-Key Tools XpressSM in partnership with Embedded Developer, LLC, the embedded industry's leading semiconductor research and compare site. Digi-Key Tools Xpress provides embedded design engineers with a worldwide sales and distribution network for development tools.

Digi-Key Tools Xpress is the only development tool program in the industry that gives engineers the capability to compare tools based on features and performance before making a purchase. This comparison capability was developed by Embedded Developer and is modeled after its signature device-compare process.

Additionally, the Digi-Key Tools Xpress program provides embedded engineers with more purchasing options from Digi-Key's extensive offering of embedded development tools. The program also allows engineers to minimize research time concerning tool options and availability and maximize design efficiency.

"Having access to the broadest array of development tools, emulators, debuggers and evaluation kits is critical to the design engineering community. The primary objective of the Digi-Key Tools Xpress program is to search out those innovative third parties and make their tools accessible to the engineers through Digi-Key and Embedded Developer," said Digi-Key Vice President of Semiconductor Product Dave Doherty. "With Digi-Key's breadth of embedded product and Embedded Developer's compare capabilities, this program offers engineers the ability to find, compare and purchase the industry's widest array of tools available for immediate shipment."

"Digi-Key and Embedded Developer have been providing engineers with development tools for years," said President of Embedded Developer Glenn ImObersteg. "It's time for a program that allows engineers to make the same educated decisions about their development tools as they have been making for their devices. Every day thousands of engineers shave weeks off their device research time by using our search and compare engines to locate, evaluate, and compare their devices and purchase them through Digi-Key without leaving the site. This new program will allow us to extend those capabilities to development tools at that moment in time when engineers decide on the processor they are going to use."

"Digi-Key Tools Xpress is a new joint venture for Digi-Key and Embedded Developer," said Digi-Key Vice President of e-Commerce Tony Harris. "We are confident the Digi-Key Tools Xpress site will be a valuable tool for embedded engineers and believe this program will help streamline and consolidate their design processes."

About Embedded Developer

Embedded Developer, LLC is jointly owned and operated by Hearst Electronic Group and Convergence Promotions. More information is available at www.EmbeddedDeveloper.com.

About Digi-Key Corporation

Digi-Key Corporation, based in Thief River Falls, Minn., is a global, full-service provider of both prototype/design and production quantities of electronic components, offering more than three million products from over 650 quality name-brand manufacturers. With over one million products in stock and an impressive selection of online resources, Digi-Key is committed to stocking the broadest range of electronic components in the industry and providing the best service possible to its customers. Additional information and access to Digi-Key's broad product offering is available on the Digi-Key website.